Robert Treat Paine Historical Trust

CONTACT:

100 Robert Treat Paine Dr.
Waltham, MA 02452
781-314-3291
www.stonehurstwaltham.org

Ann Clifford, Director

DESCRIPTION:

Robert Treat Paine (1835-1910), of Boston, was one of America’s leading philanthropists in his time – pioneering such concepts as affordable housing, cooperative building and loan associations, voluntary associations for the working class, world peace, and organized charity. He helped hundreds of Boston working-class families escape crowded and unhealthy inner-city tenements by financing and constructing affordable single-family homes in near suburbs. He promoted philanthropy and charitable giving nationwide through his writings and speeches. His motto, “Not alms, but a friend” and his self-help philosophy expressed a broader and deeper understanding of philanthropy than simply offering money – and no other assistance – to the poor. His Waltham summer home, Stonehurst, reflected his advanced tastes and ideas. An addition to the existing home (to accommodate ten servants, his wife and himself), he chose as architect Henry Hobson Richardson (known for Boston’s Trinity Church, for which Paine was a leading donor and fundraiser, and homes in the “Shingle Style” with handcrafted features); Frederick Law Olmsted designed the landscape. Stonehurst was donated by Paine heirs to the City of Waltham in 1974, and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1989. Deferred maintenance was a problem however, and in 1991 this Trust was created to provide financial support and curatorial guidance to the City. It has starred in “This Old House” for a National Public Television audience, and symbolically hosted the signing of the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act of 2000. Take your kids to visit, tell them about American philanthropy, and show your family’s support with a gift to this national treasure.

(2003: CULTURE: Education: Informal: Historic Preservation)